Titans Roster Profile: CB Sean Murphy-Bunting

Welcome to Music City Miracles’ Tennessee Titans 2023 Roster Profile! Between now and August, MCM will feature more than two dozen talents. The main goal is to highlight underrated contributors and key rotational players. We’ll throw in the odd superstar or roster-bubble player, but we’re mainly focused on spotlighting the middle of the roster. That’s where key depth helps define a roster’s ceiling.

Today, we’re analyzing free-agent signing Sean Murphy-Bunting.

Basic Info

Height: 6-foot

Weight: 195

College: Central Michigan

Entered League: No. 39 overall selection (second round) in the 2019 NFL Draft

Experience: 5

Years with team: 1

Contract Status

“Sean Murphy signed a 1 year contract with the Titans worth $3.5 million, including a $2.4 M signing bonus, $3,500,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $3,500,000. In 2023, Bunting will earn a base salary of $1,080,000 and a signing bonus of $2,420,000, while carrying a cap hit of $1,886,666 and a dead cap value of $3.5 M.” Spotrac

The Good

Sean Murphy-Bunting is going to add some much-needed depth, experience and energy to Tennessee’s defensive backfield. Murphy-Bunting was outstanding throughout the 2022 campaign. Murphy-Bunting was credited with allowing just 22 receptions on 40 targets, per Pro Football Focus.

Murphy-Bunting earned a PFF coverage grade of 80.9 for his efforts. Opposing quarterbacks saw a passer rating of just 78.2 when targeting Murphy-Bunting. The former Central Michigan standout allowed less-than-a-chain-moving 7.8 yards per reception.

The Bad

It’s difficult to poke holes in the addition of Murphy-Bunting. Perhaps general manager Ran Carthon should have tried signing Murphy-Bunting to a longer-term contract. Murphy-Bunting is likely attempting to parlay his one-year performance in Tennessee into a larger contract elsewhere next summer. Murphy-Bunting was credited with missing seven tackles last season, and PFF assigned him a rather average run-stopping grade of 62.1.

2023 Outlook:

Murphy-Bunting immediately projects into Tennessee’s starting lineup. Like Roger McCreary, Murphy-Bunting possesses intriguing inside-outside versatility. When all are healthy and available, McCreary, Kristian Fulton and Murphy-Bunting will likely make-up Tennessee’s cornerbacks grouping in nickel personnel.

The likes of Elijah Molden, Tre Avery and Caleb Farley are trailing behind Murphy-Bunting on the depth chart. Murphy-Bunting has already added an energetic presence to OTAs and when speaking with the media. Expectations are high for Murphy-Bunting in 2023.